TiltBridge - Tilt-to-WiFi Device for Tilt Hydrometer

[ddrum2000]

Technically you can subscribe to the blog, but that’s not just TiltBridge - and the purpose of the blog is to have something to link to that’s a longer version of what I would post otherwise. If you like getting into the weeds on these kinds of projects then it might be interesting - but there’s a reason it only has 3 subscribers.

Fermentrack 2 doesn’t yet have gravity support, but it’s coming very soon (and is a major catalyst for building TiltBridge 2). Once gravity support is in, the next major feature announcement is the one I think you’d be interested in. My guess is that’s ~6 weeks away. Since both of these are relevant to TiltBridge users I’ll post about them here when they’re live.

I tried to subscribe to the blog but I get an error the I "Failed to sign up"

 

[playhouse]

I sleuthed out a possible bug (?). Every few days, I lose connection between the TiltBridge (running v2.0.0-beta1[next] (01b68ef) on an ESP32) and Brewfather. It seems that the TiltBridge "forgets" the API key for Brewfather and shows as blank on the API entry screen when the condition occurs. If I re-enter the API key in TiltBridge, the connection is restored. I am on a fairly weak RSSI (high -70's to low -80s) connection (TiltBridge sitting on top of my SS Brewbucket in a chest freezer, AP is 8' away)

 

[ddrum2000]

I sleuthed out a possible bug (?). Every few days, I lose connection between the TiltBridge (running v2.0.0-beta1[next] (01b68ef) on an ESP32) and Brewfather. It seems that the TiltBridge "forgets" the API key for Brewfather and shows as blank on the API entry screen when the condition occurs. If I re-enter the API key in TiltBridge, the connection is restored. I am on a fairly weak RSSI (high -70's to low -80s) connection (TiltBridge sitting on top of my SS Brewbucket in a chest freezer, AP is 8' away)

I was wondering if I saw the same issue or not BUT if you are seeing this, I think I am seeing it as well. It also might be happening when I power cycle the board.

After moving my tiltbridge next to my fermenter, I'm now getting in low to mid -70's.

 

[Thorrak]

I sleuthed out a possible bug (?). Every few days, I lose connection between the TiltBridge (running v2.0.0-beta1[next] (01b68ef) on an ESP32) and Brewfather. It seems that the TiltBridge "forgets" the API key for Brewfather and shows as blank on the API entry screen when the condition occurs. If I re-enter the API key in TiltBridge, the connection is restored. I am on a fairly weak RSSI (high -70's to low -80s) connection (TiltBridge sitting on top of my SS Brewbucket in a chest freezer, AP is 8' away)

Oof! Good catch. What appears to be happening is that when you update the key by itself, the settings get saved to memory - but never written out to flash (unless you change another setting which does trigger a save of the full config file). This is a bug.

The fix is straightforward - going to try to combine it with the fix for the display driver/color issue and have it out as a new release tonight.

 

[Thorrak]

I just pushed out Alpha 5 which has the fix for the display driver as well as the fix for the issue where certain settings don't actually save when changed, and therefore don't persist across boots. Available on GitHub and BrewFlasher.

 

[ddrum2000]

I was wondering if I saw the same issue or not BUT if you are seeing this, I think I am seeing it as well. It also might be happening when I power cycle the board.

I'll give it a whirl and report back

 

[ddrum2000]

So far the two bugs seem to be fixed

 

[1fastsedan]

Is anyone having trouble with the TFT screen? I built my tiltbridge with the LOLIN D32 Pro and the TFT screen,. I've flashed it, and it is connected and transmitting data, but the TFT screen isn't showing anything. I've tried both of the TFT flashes and they both do the same thing. The screen powers up and I can see that the backlight is on, but nothing is showing up on it. Any tips or suggestions to get the screen to show the data? I didn't really see any settings other than to flip the screen orientation (which I tried and it didn't help).

 

[Thorrak]

Is anyone having trouble with the TFT screen? I built my tiltbridge with the LOLIN D32 Pro and the TFT screen,. I've flashed it, and it is connected and transmitting data, but the TFT screen isn't showing anything. I've tried both of the TFT flashes and they both do the same thing. The screen powers up and I can see that the backlight is on, but nothing is showing up on it. Any tips or suggestions to get the screen to show the data? I didn't really see any settings other than to flip the screen orientation (which I tried and it didn't help).

No issues with any of the ones I've built, but just to test on my side - which firmware version are you using that doesn't work?

 

[1fastsedan]

I tried v1.2.4 TFT and v2.0 Alpha 5 TFT, neither of them showed anything on the screen. I did a little more research today, and it looks like 2 pins on the screen connector are bent/bad. I don't think it's the software.

 

[Ballaratguy]

I’m looking to purchase a fully functional tiltbridge (my electrical and programming skills are not up to scratch)
Is anyone either has one for sale or can make one for me please let me know
I’d also have to get it sent to me as I’m in Australia

 

[Thorrak]

I tried v1.2.4 TFT and v2.0 Alpha 5 TFT, neither of them showed anything on the screen.

I can confirm that - at least on my end - both of these work with the standard setup of a D32 Pro + TFT + their cable.

I would double check (remove/replug) the cables, but I think that something - cable, controller, or screen - may not be working here.

 

[DblZero7]

@Thorrak:

John-

I am building a tiltbridge esp32 device and I am about to 3D print the case. I bought the larger LED screen. It says it is a LOLIN TFT-2.4 v1.1.0
Although I bought a v1.0.0 from AliExpress per your link. How do I know the differences so I print the right case?

Thanks!

Michael

 

[Thorrak]

@Thorrak:

John-

I am building a tiltbridge esp32 device and I am about to 3D print the case. I bought the larger LED screen. It says it is a LOLIN TFT-2.4 v1.1.0
Although I bought a v1.0.0 from AliExpress per your link. How do I know the differences so I print the right case?

Thanks!

Michael

Unfortunately, LoLin has left the listing as “v1.0.0” for years. I think they actually found/shipped a batch of v1.0.0 at some point in recent memory, but it has otherwise almost exclusively been the v1.1.0 despite the listing.

If the PCB says v1.1.0, it’s the v1.1.0. The PCB takes precedence.

Without having photos of them side by side, it’s hard to explain the difference - the PCBs are the same footprint, but the ribbon cable that is attached to the display is rotated 180 degrees. It’s a subtle difference - but if you’re wedging the screen into a case, that placement matters.

 

[DblZero7]

Unfortunately, LoLin has left the listing as “v1.0.0” for years. I think they actually found/shipped a batch of v1.0.0 at some point in recent memory, but it has otherwise almost exclusively been the v1.1.0 despite the listing.

If the PCB says v1.1.0, it’s the v1.1.0. The PCB takes precedence.

Without having photos of them side by side, it’s hard to explain the difference - the PCBs are the same footprint, but the ribbon cable that is attached to the display is rotated 180 degrees. It’s a subtle difference - but if you’re wedging the screen into a case, that placement matters.

thanks that helps me a ton.

 

[DblZero7]

@Thorrak

Where is a good place to find these small screws locally in the states?

 

[Thorrak]

@Thorrak

Where is a good place to find these small screws locally in the states?

I bought them on Amazon.

Countersunk / Pan head?

The countersunk link are the ones I bought/use. The pan head are ones I just found, as I can't find them in my order history for some reason.

 

[DblZero7]

I bought them on Amazon.

Countersunk / Pan head?

The countersunk link are the ones I bought/use. The pan head are ones I just found, as I can't find them in my order history for some reason.

Thanks. I stopped at an ACE the other day but they did not carry smaller than M3.

 

[Thorrak]

Thanks. I stopped at an ACE the other day but they did not carry smaller than M3.

Yeah - The countersunk is crucial as well, which is very specialized. For what it's worth, you can PROBABLY get away with all countersunk - I haven't tried it, but believe it would work.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Any way to get this log to the AntonPaar Brewmeister App?

The app will give a custom log url that you put in the custom 3rd party url in the Tilt App. I can get it to log on my phone with the Tilt App which then logs it to the Brewmeister App, but I'd like to use TiltBridge for continuous logging.

Any suggestions?

 

[Thorrak]

Any way to get this log to the AntonPaar Brewmeister App?

The app will give a custom log url that you put in the custom 3rd party url in the Tilt App. I can get it to log on my phone with the Tilt App which then logs it to the Brewmeister App, but I'd like to use TiltBridge for continuous logging.

Any suggestions?

Have a link to their API/documentation?

I have an admitted soft spot for Anton Paar products.

 

[GoeHaarden]

Have a link to their API/documentation?

I have an admitted soft spot for Anton Paar products.

Help Link this is all I can find at the moment

 

[Gozie Boy]

I am very sorry to be dredging up old ground, but as a non-IT person I need help. I've read some but not all 40 pages to this post. I have assembled a tiltbridge with an ESP32 / LOLIN TFT-2.4. I tried to follow instructions from AI in a hope to get a "Tiltbridge for Dummies" guide, which of course I did (right or probably wrong), to configure and connect it. I have flashed the following 5 files (together, in order) which I got from Alpha 5 from my Windows laptop to the ESP32 using ESP Tool:

File	Address
bootloader_dio_40m.bin	0x1000
tft_espi_partitions.bin	0x8000
boot_app0.bin	0xE000
tft_espi_firmware.bin	0x10000
tft_espi_spiffs.bin	0x290000

After flashing (which seems to have gone well) the screen lit up but without any message or logo. I was able to find and open the temporary network TiltbridgeAP, and got its IP address from my router's admin site. At that point, all efforts fail and everything stops. Nothing is recognized and I'm stuck. Any help for the blind? Thanks!

 

[Thorrak]

I am very sorry to be dredging up old ground, but as a non-IT person I need help. I've read some but not all 40 pages to this post. I have assembled a tiltbridge with an ESP32 / LOLIN TFT-2.4. I tried to follow instructions from AI in a hope to get a "Tiltbridge for Dummies" guide, which of course I did (right or probably wrong), to configure and connect it. I have flashed the following 5 files (together, in order) which I got from Alpha 5 from my Windows laptop to the ESP32 using ESP Tool:

File	Address
bootloader_dio_40m.bin	0x1000
tft_espi_partitions.bin	0x8000
boot_app0.bin	0xE000
tft_espi_firmware.bin	0x10000
tft_espi_spiffs.bin	0x290000

After flashing (which seems to have gone well) the screen lit up but without any message or logo. I was able to find and open the temporary network TiltbridgeAP, and got its IP address from my router's admin site. At that point, all efforts fail and everything stops. Nothing is recognized and I'm stuck. Any help for the blind? Thanks!

When you say “all efforts fail” - what do you mean? Can you access the web interface after it joins your network, or does nothing appear when you try to access it?

Here’s a video I put together a while back on how to build and flash a tiltbridge: